Daniel
8 reminds me of a recurring theme in science fiction. If an evil
person was able to travel back in time, could they alter the future?
The moral dilemma is often posed; if you knew future events, would
you change your behavior? In today’s chapter Daniel again reveals
another vision given to him in a dream. It is given to him later in
life and appears to be a warning of coming events. The question
becomes, what should Daniel do with the information? His vision
begins with a powerful ram with two horns, “One
of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later“.
He adds, “No animal could
stand against it… It
did as it pleased and
became great“.
His vision continues with “a
goat with a prominent horn between its eyes“.
This goat attacked the ram, “ram
was powerless to stand against it… knocked it to the ground and
trampled on it“. Then “The
goat became very great“. In
the interpretation given to Daniel, we learn that horns represent
kings and kingdoms. After one is broken off, others sprout, as one
dynasty yields to the next. Daniel describes “another
horn, which started small but grew in power… It grew until it
reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host
down to the earth and trampled on them“.
Success, wealth and power often lead to pride and arrogance. Have
you been stomping on gratitude to God?
Daniel
has the benefit of heavenly access; in his vision he also overhears
angelic commentary. This king that Daniel had seen, wanted “to
be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord“.
It says of the Lord’s people, God’s “sanctuary
was thrown down” and “the
daily sacrifices were given over to it. It prospered in everything it
did, and truth was thrown to the ground“.
There are times when it seems that the cheaters are winning with no
consequence. Are you being tempted to compromise in order to
succeed?
Like
many of Daniel’s visions, this one looks behind and ahead of us on
our timeline. He includes a heavenly conversation. “How
long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled?”
“It will take 2,300 evenings
and mornings; then the sanctuary will be re-consecrated“.
The next verse explains, “Understand
that the vision concerns the time of the end“.
The angel explains the succession of kingdoms in Daniels vision are
the “kings of Media and Persia…
the king of Greece… four kingdoms that will emerge“.
I believe the last part of the chapter is a reference to the end
times, when Christ returns. “A
fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.
He will become very
strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding
devastation and will succeed in whatever he does.
He will destroy those who are
mighty, the holy people… cause deceit to prosper“.
The chapter also includes the outcome of the deceiver, “Yet
he will be destroyed, but not by human power“.
Daniel concludes his vision was “beyond
understanding“.
I am amazed how much effort
people put into calculating the possible dates of this chapter. Mark
13:32 is clear that concerning the return of Christ, “But
about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father“.
So what should we do with this information?
Jesus told each of us we
should, “Be on guard! Be
alert“. Jesus is coming back,
sometime in the future, are you ready?